Before class Smirnoff calls me over and gives me a kiss on each cheek and says,
“My Dear, I am so glad you are coming to class again,”
And I say thank you,
And he says,
“Not just for you, my dear, I am glad for your child. It is very good for a child to see that his parent is disciplined, is dedicated to something. You will never have to discuss this with him, because he will see your example and he will understand. This is how it was when I was a boy. This is very good, my dear, I am very happy for you and for your son. Ok? Yes! Now let’s get to work!”
And then he shoos me off to the barre and admires another girl’s new sweater and has two girls switch places in the barre line-up and then we all first position, deep breath, chins up, hands in preparatory, look over at him and he says, “yes!” and presses play and it’s ballet time.
So, when I’m at ballet class (or Piyo) these are the first times I’ve been away from The Baby since he was born.
I mean, I am always with that kid! Other than that time I went to the dentist, I have never got in a car and driven away from him.
And I miss him crazily during class! I’ll be doing frappés and suddenly have this desperate want to hold him and smile at him and pet his round tummy, and since being away from him is a new feeling it continues weirdly and I’ll have this, like, feeling hang-over where once I’m back home holding him I’ll be thinking about how much I want to hold him and then realize that I am holding him and then be like Girl, You Crazy.
And all this is happening at the same time as me being so thrilled to be back to ballet,
So it’s nice that despite all these crazy mama and ballet feelings all mixed up, going to class might be as good for him as it is for me.

9 Responses to How ballet is good for babies

“where once I’m back home holding him I’ll be thinking about how much I want to hold him and then realize that I am holding him and then be like Girl, You Crazy.”

This reminds me of a line from the TV show FRIENDS when Rachel lays the baby in the bassinet and says “I miss her…” and Phoebe says “You know, that’s her right there…” Which tells me that if it was mocked on a TV show, it is a perfectly normal feeling. Glad to hear you are back to ballet!

You know, I think that Smirnoff is on to something. Up until recently my dad played hockey every Sunday night. It was just what he had done for eons (to the point where he left his first date with my mom because it was Sunday and therefore, hockey night, and so, you’re a great lady, but I gotta go, I’ll call you… which, obviously, he did and they lived happily ever after). This hockey rink became a sort of mythical place in my little kid mind, but I always thought it made my dad super-cool. And it inspired me to love hockey and we still share that bond. But it also taught me that my dad had a life that did not revolve 100% around me. That he was an individual with interests and hobbies all his own. I think it’s good for kids to see their parents as Real People. And, in a weird way, my dad was the one who inspired me to get back into dance after all those years away. I was like, woah, wait a minute, my dad didn’t let age stop him from an activity he loved, why should I limit myself to pirouetting in my kitchen when I can go to a dance studio and take classes?! So yeah… ballet moms = smart babies. Keep plie-ing away!

That is so awesome of Smirnoff to have that awareness AND to make the effort to express it to you! I totally agree. My mom went back to college to finish the degree she left unfinished when my dad graduated and they got married (that’s what they did back in the day). She started with one night class at community college and worked her way up to 2-3 classes a semester, finished her BS and continued on for an MS, all while working part-time and raising a family (along with the support of my dad). We kids quickly figured out that the times after dinner when mom closed her door and went to study and write papers were important, and we all took on more stuff around the house to help out. Her dedication and work ethic really had an effect on the rest of us when we started university…we had had a good model of how to put in the time, make the schedule, juggle the to-do’s, and just do the damn thing. AND you are making time and space for your child to bond with his father one-on-one, which is also valuable and important! So it’s a win-win all around…Smirnoff is a wise man ;)

It’s a delicate balance between continuing your own evolution as a human being and supervising the needs of your incredibly cute child… but good for you for keeping your toe in the water, doing something you love and being an awesome role model. As parents we teach by example; our children look up to us to see the way we move in the world. The benefits of doing ballet are gifts that keep on giving… I share my ideas on that here: http://www.griercooper.com/2013/02/12/10-reasons-to-study-ballet-at-any-age/